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English11/09/2019

VIŠKOVIĆ: 1.5% FUNDS FROM BUDGET FOR NATALITY POLICY

BANJALUKA, September 11 SEPTEMBRA /SRNA/ - Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Radovan Višković says 230 children more were born in Republika Srpska in 2018 than in the previous year, pointing out that 1.5% of funds is allocated from the budget for natality policy, family and everything that this aspect of measures encompasses, while the Government is ready to increase these allocations.

"Like it was stated in the report /made by an expert team/, it is a significant sum of money but now we have to see the effects of certain measures in that regard and analyse them,” Višković told the press in Banjaluka.

After a meeting on Wednesday that presented the scientific research study “Demographic Development and Population Policy of Republika Srpska - analysis of the state of play and proposal of measures," which was made at the initiative of President Željka Cvijanović by the expert team headed by Draško Marinković, Višković stated that dropping birth rates in Republika Srpska were basically stopped in the past eight years.

"We have had a constant level of births in the past eight years. What is good and what we have to say to the public is that last year we had 230 more babies than in the previous one," emphasises Višković.

He noted that thanks to IVF measures alone, Republika Srpska had more than 1,116 new-born babies, which showed that those measures had positive effects.

Republika Srpska sponsors three IVF procedures for one couple, whereas certain local communities and cities have promised to sponsor a fourth one as well, he said.

"The plan is to have one body at the level of Republika Srpska that compiles all these measures carried out from the entity and local level, so that we can bring all the data together,” said Višković.

It is necessary to analyse the effects of the undertaken measures because some things may have to be done in a different way, he added.

Višković stated that the next step was for the Expert Team to define target groups, pointing out that if the intention was to increase the birth rates, the Government had to know exactly what the target groups were, whether it was the first, second or third child.

"We have to see what produces results the quickest. If we need to increase the funds for the first-born or the third-born, then the Government has to outline its measures in that respect,” said the prime minister.

The Government of Republika Srpska has therefore submitted to the National Assembly a bill on child welfare, abolishing the barrier from the old law to the right to the BAM405 child allowance received by new mothers who were unemployed six months before giving birth.

"Under the new law, if the mother was unemployed for just one day, she is entitled to the allowance,” underlined Višković, adding that these were the effects the Government was using to help the natality policy.

He noted that the natality policy was not a problem in Republika Srpska alone and that it was faced by the neighbouring countries and in Europe.

"Republika Srpska is ready to tackle this problem and allocate more funds,” said Višković.

He noted that the Law on Games of Chance produced much better results than the old law did, pointing out that a portion of the proceeds from the law would go to the natality policy.

"Republika Srpska has 40% more proceeds on the basis of the new Law on Games of Chance than in the previous period,” stated Višković. /end/dš